| 18th-Century Yongho-do Dragon / Tiger, with Mountain / Water, 8-panel folding-screen Painting |
This is a supreme example of the Yongho-do [Dragon-Tiger Icon], most commonly expressed
in folding-screen paintings like this one -- but more commonly rendered in statues these days.
This 18th-Cen 8-panel masterpiece was a key treasure of the Emille Museum collection; it
may have once divided rooms in one of the royal palaces, or an aristocratic mansion.
in folding-screen paintings like this one -- but more commonly rendered in statues these days.
This 18th-Cen 8-panel masterpiece was a key treasure of the Emille Museum collection; it
may have once divided rooms in one of the royal palaces, or an aristocratic mansion.
This icon-motif represents / invokes the primal energies of Heaven (Yong = Dragon) and Earth (Ho = Tiger).
Dragons also represent the entire dynamic cycling of waters through the biosphere, essential to human life, while tigers
are the kings of all fauna and flora -- and white tigers are highly-sacred. Sometimes these two are shown fighting, in a
never-ending eum-yang [yin-yang] complementary struggle (dynamic cycling). This artwork includes a full set of craggy
mountain peaks (three primary, five secondary) with pine-trees, and a sea in front (with finger-like waves and coral-sprouts).
There's a waterfall, and some bullocho sprigs on rocks near the tiger. So this has 6 out of the 12 Shipjangsaeng symbols.
Dragons also represent the entire dynamic cycling of waters through the biosphere, essential to human life, while tigers
are the kings of all fauna and flora -- and white tigers are highly-sacred. Sometimes these two are shown fighting, in a
never-ending eum-yang [yin-yang] complementary struggle (dynamic cycling). This artwork includes a full set of craggy
mountain peaks (three primary, five secondary) with pine-trees, and a sea in front (with finger-like waves and coral-sprouts).
There's a waterfall, and some bullocho sprigs on rocks near the tiger. So this has 6 out of the 12 Shipjangsaeng symbols.